Saturday, 30 January 2016

This is as of January 23, 2016. This is also another one of those places I really want to stay at for a weekend. The heavy snow and trees obscure the place. It is between Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta on the Bow Valley Parkway.

Friday, 29 January 2016

January 29, 2016 and 5C outside. Very tempted to rescue the motorcycle from storage. A chinook has erased most of the snow. Next week temperatures will be in and around zero degrees celsius. I just may succumb and ride the bike even though I know winter is not done with us yet.

East on Highway 11 from the junction where it meets Highway 93. Open road this weekend? I had a Sunday road trip planned last weekend. That got derailed courtesy of a snowstorm that dumped a couple of inches of wet snow in my area. The best laid plans . . .

Anyone who has read this space sort of has an idea of what this blog is about. While looking up stuff one night I discovered a place in Alberta that I never heard about before. The place is called Cravath Corners and from what I can tell the place existed for about a decade or more. Maybe less. There is no reference to it on maps that I have seen. I found a link to a small cemetery by that name.

Having my curiousity piqued I did a few searches and found nothing more however a site that I use on occasion had a link to a book that someone published. The book was published in 1963 and looks to be about ten pages. The great thing is that someone scanned it and put in online. The scan job is not the greatest, I was able to make out some of the pages and there were some photos. From the photos there was a one room schoolhouse in the area and some sod houses. Now I am wondering if the sod houses are still there. Now I am really interested in checking this out.

This is what I love and dislike about the internet. Obscure books are increasingly finding their way online. In the past you would have to wander through a local library and with luck you would stumble across some arcane local history. What I dislike is searching for stuff like this and finding it is often a matter of chance.

This barely north of Highway 611 on Highway 795. I have driven this road a few times. Highway 795 is a gravel highway on this section. There is an old church on this property and every time I see it I get a bit more curious. When I got home yesterday I tried to find some information online. You can see it clearly on Google Maps, the church shaped shadow gives it away.

The church is on someone's land and it is clearly abandoned. There is an occupied house on this land. I am contemplating knocking on their door sometime to ask them about it. From what I found out it is Immanuel Lutheran Church. An online search for "Immanuel Lutheran Church Usona" brings up some history on it. I dislike seeing old churches fade away.

I took this photo from the road. One of those things I will have to follow up on.

Sunday, 24 January 2016

Saturday January 19, 2016 I got up and hit the road to be at my friend's place to help him pick up a vehicle he bought. He would have liked me there at 9:00am, I made it at 9:30am. It was -24C and there was a wind, so it was even colder with the wind chill. The trusty Impala started without being plugged in.

He lives by Genesee, Alberta. There really is no Genesee anymore, all that remains is a community hall and a cemetery. He lives on an acreage in the area. He owns enough land to qualify as a farm. He does not farm.

His neighbour has horses. I always feel for farm animals when they are out in cold weather.

I drove him into Edmonton which is a little over an hour away. There is no give in cold weather. Vehicles ride stiffer due to the cold. Roads are rougher due to the buildup of ice and snow. Tires have less give. The highways were bare. Edmonton itself is known for not plowing their streets.

We got to the car lot. They did not even bother to brush the snow off the Ford F150 he bought. They did not start it either. Plus it was parked behind another truck that had to be moved so he could get to the one he bought. For that alone I would have made them knock some money off the price.

He got it started, brushed it off, and screwed a plate on the back. Before we left his home I suggested he bring a tire guage. We checked the tires at the lot and they were low. Once we let the truck warm up we left and found a truck stop and filled the tires. With the wind chill all of this was done in -30C weather. A quick stop for lunch (he bought) and then I let him drive he new purchase home. I went in search of warmth.

Saturday, 23 January 2016

South and east of Devon, Alberta. Take Highway 19 east and Range Road 260 a few miles south. No longer used on a regular basis. I posted this once before when I visited it at an earlier date. I just happen to like these kinds of churches.

Friday, 22 January 2016

When I first started doing this she was kind enough to give some advice and exposure even though she had no idea who I was and really did not have to help me out. Plus she is a redhead, so there is that to consider as well.

I do not really have any vices. I have never been an addictive type where I get hooked on something. I am not overly attached to anything and there is nothing I own that I would get upset over the long term if it disappeared tomorrow. I would be miffed if someone stole my motorcycle but I can buy another one. Just about everything can be replaced.

I have never smoked a day in my life. I do not care if others do. I rarely drink. When I drink I drink for taste. That being said, there are a few things I like to do. I did play poker at times in my life on a regular basis then I would go for years without playing then pick it up again. I do not believe it is much of a skill game. To me it is a game of luck. As with anything, if you do it long enough you should get better and read the odds and situations better. If you get lousy hands all night long you are not going to win no matter how skilled you think you are.

I played only for fun and low stakes to keep the game on a friendly level. To me it is a social thing. If someone loses a bit too much you find friendships can quickly be destroyed. Be mindful of who you play with and with small amounts with the understanding that it is just entertainment. I like it to be more about an evening having fun more than the cards themselves. As for gambling I have no desire to go to Las Vegas and gamble, I would like to go just because I have never been there. Some get a rush from gambling, I do not. I have no issue losing small amounts of money. I am too frugal to gamble large amounts. Know when to walk away.